Another GI doctor story
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Another GI doctor story
Thursday, I saw my new GI doctor. The first one was arrogant from day one and only wanted to hear from me if I had D at night and/or became incontinent. In October 2008, I had a severe flare which included night D and up to 15 potty trips/day. Arrogant Doc prescribed Entocort which worked but to which I developed an allergic reaction which Arrogant Doc thought HAD to be do not to the cortisone but to a "filler". The allergist proved him wrong. Soooo my PCP referred me to Doc #2. I told him about the allergy, this web site and that I had read many journal articles. His $.02's worth is as follows: CC won't kill me or cause me any severe side effects, Pepto-Bismol is the best treatment and often cures CC, he only prescribes Entocort for very severe cases, and is careful not to prescribe Lomotil because it has a narcotic and he does not want his patients to get hooked on narcotics. The only bright light in the visit was that he thought a gluten-free diet (which I am doing) was worth a try. As I am currently in remission, he said to call him the next time I had a flare and he'd decide what to prescribe. Ironically, it was Lomotil prescribed by my PCP after I refused to call Arrogant Doc again that helped me achieve remission. If I have another flare I will 1) not call new Doc, 2) try 6 wks. of PeptoBismol, 3) probably go on liquids only, 4) get my PCP to renew Lomotil. As I am 65 yrs. old, I don't worry much about getting "hooked". Although Dr. #2 was far more personable than Arrogant Doc, the unspoken message was very clear: CC is simply a touch of D, not to be taken seriously. I'd love one of these docs to try running to the potty every hour for a few days and see how happy and productive he would be. Maybe then, an alternative to Entocort will be discovered. Thanks for letting me vent. Hope y'all are doing well and not spending much time in the bathroom. Shekoe
Hi Shekoe,
There seems to be an unusually high percentage of "misguided" GI docs in the world, doesn't there. I really wonder just how many patients with MC actually get any help from guys like that. Probably precious few, (if any).
I completely agree with you. Arrogant docs aren't worth much, and GI docs with #2's attitude, should have to spend at least a couple of months living with a fully-developed case of MC. That would give them a desperately-needed attitude adjustment.
There is virtually no danger of Lomotil causing an addiction, because it contains atropine, which will make the patient sick, if they try to take an overdose. That's what it's in there for - to prevent an addiction. The OTC version, Imodium, does not contain any atropine. Have you tried it? Some people have better results from it, than from the prescription med, Lomotil.
Some members have had satisfactory results with one of the 5-ASA meds, (Asacol, Colazal, Pentasa, Lialda, etc.). They are also based on a derivative of salicylic acid, (like Pepto-Bismol), but they can be taken long-term, if necessary, whereas PB cannot be safely taken for more than 8 weeks, (PB is actually a riskier med than the 5-ASA meds, IMO, since PB contains Bismuth, which is a heavy metal, and it will accumulate in a patient's body). If you're intolerant to dairy products, you might want to avoid Asacol, (since it contains lactose), but the others do not, and they work better for some patients. Your PCP might be willing to prescribe one of those for you, since you have a diagnosis of CC in your records.
I hope that your remission continues indefinitely, so that you won't need any further meds, but if you do, your plan sounds as good as any, since you can't take Entocort.
Tex
There seems to be an unusually high percentage of "misguided" GI docs in the world, doesn't there. I really wonder just how many patients with MC actually get any help from guys like that. Probably precious few, (if any).
I completely agree with you. Arrogant docs aren't worth much, and GI docs with #2's attitude, should have to spend at least a couple of months living with a fully-developed case of MC. That would give them a desperately-needed attitude adjustment.
There is virtually no danger of Lomotil causing an addiction, because it contains atropine, which will make the patient sick, if they try to take an overdose. That's what it's in there for - to prevent an addiction. The OTC version, Imodium, does not contain any atropine. Have you tried it? Some people have better results from it, than from the prescription med, Lomotil.
Some members have had satisfactory results with one of the 5-ASA meds, (Asacol, Colazal, Pentasa, Lialda, etc.). They are also based on a derivative of salicylic acid, (like Pepto-Bismol), but they can be taken long-term, if necessary, whereas PB cannot be safely taken for more than 8 weeks, (PB is actually a riskier med than the 5-ASA meds, IMO, since PB contains Bismuth, which is a heavy metal, and it will accumulate in a patient's body). If you're intolerant to dairy products, you might want to avoid Asacol, (since it contains lactose), but the others do not, and they work better for some patients. Your PCP might be willing to prescribe one of those for you, since you have a diagnosis of CC in your records.
I hope that your remission continues indefinitely, so that you won't need any further meds, but if you do, your plan sounds as good as any, since you can't take Entocort.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
